The ANZ Stadium in Sydney was the venue of State of Origin game two as the Maroons of Queensland looked to square the series with a buoyant New South Wales Blues.

NSW named an unchanged side from that which was victorious in game one but QLD made a number of changes, including the inspirational Billy Slater and Johnathan Thurston.

Expectations were high for a rip-roaring game with everything to play for, but NSW seemed the be the favourites with most pundits.

It was Queensland who did all of the early attacking and on nine minutes Valentine Holmes took a Will Chambers pass on the overlap to dive over acrobatically in the corner for the opening points. Johnathan Thurston added the extras from wide.

On thirteen, somewhat against the run of play, Jarryd Hayne scored the equalising try out wide left, which was converted by James Maloney to take the Blues level at 6-6.

As the half wore on New South Wales edged their way back into it with more possession and position. Brett Morris took a Maloney pass after the half-back had broken for thirty metres to go the remaining twenty to score in the corner. Maloney failed to convert but the Blues were 10-6 ahead after twenty-six minutes.

Within a minute they were in again when James Tedesco took a delightful Jake Trbojevic inside pass and broke down the centre before finding Mitchell Pearce, who went thirty to score without a Queensland tackler getting a hand on him. Maloney added the extras and after a shaky start it was the Blues who were dominating the proceedings.

Queensland finished the game on the offence, and Morgan was held up over the line on the last play, but they trailed 16-6 at the interval.

The opening twelve minutes of the second half were evenly matched until Queensland scored a magnificent try which saw a Dane Gagai at the end of a delightful six pass rolling move downfield to take the final pass from Chambers and make the last ten metres to ground. When Thurston added the extras it was 16-12 and the game was back in the melting pot.

The second half was all QLD but they took until the seventy-sixth minute before Michael Morgan put a flick pass to Gagai for him to go through a gap and tie the scores at 16-16. Thurston added the conversion from close to the right touchline for a two point Maroons lead with two minutes left on the clock.

Despite being on the back foot in the first half the Maroons were dominant in the second and ultimately they deserved the win which levelled the series at 1-1, giving everything for both sides to play for in the decider. It was a sensational comeback, winning the second half 12-0, and upsetting the pundits and bookies.

It's Queensland who will be downing the tinnies well into the night.

New South Wales: Tedesco, Morris (T), Dugan, Hayne (T), Ferguson, Maloney (2G), Pearce (T), Woods, Peats, Fifita, Cordoner, Jackson, Frizell. Subs: Klemmer, Graham, Trbojevic, Bird.

Queensland: Slater, Holmes (T), Chambers, Boyd, Gagai (2T), Thurston (3G), Cronk, Napa, Smith, Wallace, Cooper, Gillett, McGuire. Subs: Morgan, Papalii, Hess, Glasby.

Referees: Matt Cecchin and Gerard Sutton.

Half-Time: 16-6.

Full-Time: 16-18.

Attendance: 82,253.